This episode of How I Met Your Mother may have just confirmed all our saddest fears: The mother really is dead. It started out innocently enough with a flash forward of Ted and the mother eating dinner and telling each other stories that they've both heard before. I can just picture Ted having told her all nine seasons worth of these tales and it makes sense that he's now telling his kids, if only because they're a fresh audience. But, as we find out later, there may be a sadder reason he's telling this story. There's been a theory circulating for awhile now that claims the mother dies and a few things have confirmed this over the show's run, including the fact that the mother is never in the flash forwards and that Ted is making his children sit through this story solo. Where's his wife to chime in, or tell her side of the story? But that could have all easily been passed off as the writers not wanting to reveal anything about the mother too early.
But Monday's episode cast a little more doubt into the minds of the viewers who are hoping for a happily ever after. Ted is telling the mother a story about Barney and Robin's wedding weekend, and, after a big reveal (Robin's mom does indeed show up), the mother says, "Of course she showed up. What mom is going to miss her daughter's wedding?" Cue a pause, before Ted's eyes get watery and the mother attempts to console him.
WHY? DOES THE MOTHER NOT GET TO SEE HER DAUGHTER GET MARRIED? IS THE MOTHER DEAD? WILL WE FINALLY LEARN THE MOTHER'S NAME WHEN WE PAN OVER HER GRAVESTONE AT THE FINALE?
Not so fast. How I Met Your Mother is known for its plot twists. Remember when we thought Barney was going to propose to Patrice? Or that Ted was going to marry Stella? I wouldn't take anything the show hands over that easily as fact. It seems like the writers are intentionally trying to lead us down that path, but I refuse to believe it until it's been confirmed.
It's safe to say, though, that this potential plot point quickly stole the episode. It left viewers reeling — in fact, does anyone really remember what else happened during the episode? Of course not. Instead of recalling Barney's wedding suit, Lucy Hale as Robin's sister, and Robin's mother's reveal, we're simply left wanting to know if Ted's love story is a tragic one.
Plenty of theories will surely be spun between now and next week's episode. I'm in the camp that believes this is all a ruse, but perhaps that's just me wanting more for Ted than to end up alone after I've watched him suffer for nine years already. Fingers crossed it's just a dirty trick.
Image: CBS
